Cast glass art by Walter Gordinier can be seen nationwide in chapels, hospitals and even private homes. It also appears in Pacific University’s Forest Grove campus library, at the top of the stairs.
Gordinier ’73 did not always work with glass. As an art student at Pacific, his interests lay in ceramics.When he began working with glass, though, he realized he could put art in front of people where they could use it every day.

Cast glass art by Walter Gordinier can be seen nationwide in chapels, hospitals and even private homes. It also appears in Pacific University’s Forest Grove campus library, at the top of the stairs.

Gordinier ’73 did not always work with glass. As an art student at Pacific, his interests lay in ceramics.

When he began working with glass, though, he realized he could put art in front of people where they could use it every day.

Now, his pieces serve as parts of structures: countertops, ceilings, bridges, even flooring. He works with interior designers, architects and building owners to create unique pieces. Each work is made by layering pieces of glass in a large kiln, creating new colors in a process Gordinier compares to painting.

His art is tested and approved for normal weight and use as building materials, and instead of drilling holes, he affixes his creations with the same tape that is used on Boeing aircrafts.

He cannot pinpoint a single project as his favorite, but Gordinier said the project at his alma mater was special; it made him feel like a student again.

Fletcher Ray ’00 started college at Walla Walla Community College and transferred to Pacific to stay close to home and to play baseball. At Pacific, he said, small classes sizes encouraged engaging conversation and meaningful relationships with professors and peers.
“(It) helped me develop critical thinking skills that have been crucial to me in my professional career,” he said.

Fletcher Ray ’00 started college at Walla Walla Community College and transferred to Pacific to stay close to home and to play baseball. At Pacific, he said, small classes sizes encouraged engaging conversation and meaningful relationships with professors and peers.

“(It) helped me develop critical thinking skills that have been crucial to me in my professional career,” he said.

Ray is currently a vice president in the institutional real estate investing division of the Portland Office of PNC Real Estate, a subsidiary of PNC Bank. His division manages more than $7 billion of equity capital in multifamily real estate.

Christy Aleckson ’95 came to Pacific with little idea of what her future would hold. “Pacific just seemed like a good fit for a kid from a small town in Alaska,” she said. “I also was offered a great scholarship that made it hard to refuse.”
Aleckson discovered that she loved the opportunity to explore her options at Pacific, and to build lifelong connections within the tight-knit community.
“It’s like a secret club when you meet someone else who went to Pacific,” she said.

Christy Aleckson ’95 came to Pacific with little idea of what her future would hold. “Pacific just seemed like a good fit for a kid from a small town in Alaska,” she said. “I also was offered a great scholarship that made it hard to refuse.”

Aleckson discovered that she loved the opportunity to explore her options at Pacific, and to build lifelong connections within the tight-knit community.

“It’s like a secret club when you meet someone else who went to Pacific,” she said.

Aleckson double majored in political science and business management, then went on to earn an MBA from George Fox University. Today, she runs Single Point Financial Advisors in Beaverton, Ore.

“I get to help people with financial and insurance choices to assist in getting them to their long-term goals for investing, retirement, and leaving a legacy. It’s the best job ever!”